I am reaching out on behalf of my own friends and family members who are currently living as inmates in jails and prisons. Their voices are muffled and their human rights are routinely infringed upon within these walls. The confinement is already harsh, but conditions within such institutions are often far worse than they should be.

The fact is not lost on me that they have been convicted, but at the heart of it, they are still human beings. They deserve a basic level of comfortability and equal opportunity to basic human rights. As it stands, many prisons and jails have severe conditions, affecting not just the psychological but also the physical well-being of the inmates. This is not just about the people I personally know, this is about all prisoners nationwide.

According to a report by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), many U.S. correctional facilities fail to meet the basic human rights standards for inmates. This includes inadequate medical care, overcrowded living conditions, limited access to rehabilitative programs, and abuse from staff.

A change needs to be made, a change to require prisons and jails to provide better conditions, better access to health, rehabilitation and more that acknowledges the human rights of all inmates. This helps not just the prisoners, but society at large, by fostering a humane approach to imprisonment and increasing prisoners' ability to reintegrate into society after release.

Help me to ignite this change - make jails and prisons more accountable for their conditions and ensure human rights for all inmates. Please sign this petition and stand up for all those who have been silenced behind these walls.